These skills, sometimes considered hard to measure or assess, are especially important because many children entering elementary school now will eventually work in jobs that today do not exist. Creative approaches to critical thinking and problem-solving will prove invaluable as jobs continue to evolve and focus on social skills, according to the report.

Technology can help deliver social and emotional learning both efficiently and effectively, the authors assert.

“We see technology as a tool that a parent, educator or caregiver can use to complement and extend the learning experience–especially given the host of emerging technologies that go beyond traditional screens. Technologies such as virtual, augmented and ‘mixed’ reality; robots; video chats on mobile devices; and virtual tutors allow for a much less passive and more interactive experience,” they write in the report.